The morning after, the years ahead

In 1952 the CAF began to receive its first Privateers which were initially seen abandoned at the US Shangri La Navy Station, south of Manila. In March, 12 air crews from the 8th Heavy bombardment Group were ferried by two C-46s to Luzon. They were led to the bone yard of the base, a dozen PB4Y-2S long-range patrol bombers under the "as it is" condition were waiting for them. As an effort to bring the 8th BG back to FOC status, these Convair Privateers would replace its Consolidated Liberator relics on a squadron-to-squadron basis.

As an entire replacement of the 8th's B-24Ms was not immediately available, the PB4Y-2s had to be repaired as fast as possible and ferried back to Taiwan. But, getting them back in the air had not been easy, for it took combined efforts of many specially-trained technicians and lots of contributions to keep these vintage bombers airworthy. After one week of superhuman efforts, by applying the similar experience on the B-24Ms, all 12 Privateers emerged as a painstaking restored tribute to all the PB4Ys that had seen combat in World War II. Without proper tools and spare parts, these monsters were temporally repaired to the flyable level. After a three hours flight, the Chinese Privateers landed safely at the Jiayi AFB, while the 8th's home base Xinzhu had it's strips rebuilt then.

In 1954-56 besides the foregoing impressive heavies supplied under the Military Aid Program terms, further 26 units were transferred to the 8th, which comprised of the 33rd, 34th, and 35th BSs based at Xinzhu AFB. Struggled to maintain its Liberator remnants and a Liberator Express C-87 duo, fortunately the 8th began beefing up its strength to defend the Free China in Taiwan. Discharged in 1961, the PB4Y was the last four engine bomber operated by the CAF.

Soviet Volunteer Group in China

One of the significant Soviet-made battle aircraft during the Sino-Japanese War was the Ilyushin DB-3 long range bomber. The partially developed DB-3 had no occasion for combat in Spain, so Stalin decided to give the new weapon a test in China. Acquired through the Chinese-Soviet trade agreements of 1937, 12 DB-3s were delivered to the CAF 8th Heavy Bombardment Group from Oct 1937 to Dec 1938. These twin-engined bombers were received in the desert city Lanzhou, wherein the 8th finished its conversion training, then ferried the new flotilla to Chengdu in mid-Oct 1939. Meanwhile the Soviet Volunteer 2nd Bombardment Group’s 24 DB-3s stationed in Lanzhou and Chengdu.

The 1939 period of Chinese aerial combat was characterized by the change from defensive operations to active tactics, with the DB-3s attacked Japanese air bases and transport proceeding on the Yangtze River. It gave great support to the Chinese army and carried out its blows against the superior Japanese forces under arduous conditions. 0900, Oct 3, 9 DB-3s of the 2nd BG each loaded ten 300 lb high explosion bombs took off from Taipingsi airfield in Chengdu, heading for Japanese occupied Wangjiadun airfield in Hankou. On this visit 40 of 100 Japanese aircraft grounded were destroyed, and the raiders inflicted no damage.

20 DB-3s went off for the 2nd‘s second strike over Hankou on Oct 14. Each bomber carrying high explosive, 14 kg shrapnel, and 50 kg incendiary bombs took off at 0830. The first 11 ships formation led by Cpt. G. A. Kulishenko (CO of the 2nd) and second 9 ships formations led by N. A. Kozlov (the 2nd‘s second-in-command) reached the target at 1155 and 1230, respectively. Their bombardier got a good sight and put their ordnance in the middle of the rows of some 30 twin-engined bombers. Over 50 of the 70 plus aircraft were engulfed in a sea of flames. During the subsequent 20 minutes violent chase, 3 of the 9 interceptors were destroyed, while 1 DB was brought down. Still under their parachutes, 2 of the 3 crewmen were riddled by the Japanese strafing in midair, only the pilot Navlienk survived. Afterward the crippled CO ship ditched on the Yangtze in Sichuan, with badly wounded Kulishenko killed onboard.

In total 322 Russian bombers were sent to China in 1937-41, including Ilyushin DB-3, Tupolev TB-3, and Tupolev SB-2 Katyushka, which were replaced by the Lockheed A-29A Hudson maritime patrol bomber in 1942.